ARTISTS URGED TO USE SAUTI ZA BUSARA STAGE TO CHAMPION CHILDREN’S RIGHTS

By John Bukuku, Zanzibar
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has called on artists and performers participating in the 2026 Sauti za Busara Festival to use their creative platforms to promote children’s rights, challenge harmful social norms, and inspire positive change across communities.
The call aligns with this year’s festival theme, “Let Them (Children) Shine,” which emphasizes the need for children to grow in safe, supportive environments that allow them to reach their full potential.
Speaking on the initiative, UNICEF Representative to Tanzania, Elke Wisch, said the partnership with Sauti za Busara serves as a reminder that every child is born with talent, potential, and a light that must be nurtured.
She noted that for children to truly shine, they must not only be healthy and learning but also feel safe and protected within their families and communities.
UNICEF Youth Advocate, Nabiha Kassim, stressed that children cannot thrive if they experience violence, stigma, fear, or silent mental health struggles. She said she would use the festival platform to engage artists and audiences in raising awareness about child rights and the shared responsibility of protecting them.
As part of the festival programme, UNICEF will host a special dialogue titled “Arts and Impact: Reaching Communities through Music to Address Violence Against Children.” The session will bring together artists, media practitioners, and child rights advocates to explore how music and creative expression can drive social transformation and influence public attitudes.
Festival participants will also have the opportunity to visit UNICEF’s exhibition space to learn more about its work and explore ways they can champion children’s wellbeing within their own communities.
UNICEF emphasized that through their visibility, influence, and storytelling power, musicians and performers play a critical role in advocating for a world where every child feels safe, valued, and free to shine.
UNICEF operates in over 190 countries and territories worldwide, supporting child health, nutrition, education, protection from violence and exploitation, as well as water and sanitation programmes—funded entirely through voluntary contributions.